Methods and arrangements for smart sensors

ABSTRACT

Generally, smart sensors, logic to process messages from smart sensors, and smart sensor systems are described herein. Embodiments may comprise logic such as hardware and/or code to communicate events as messages via a messaging system to post the messages to a messaging account. The messaging system may be a texting service like Twitter™ that captures the messages and then re-broadcasts the messages, e.g., immediately as a tweet or a cellular text message. In some embodiments, the smart sensor comprises a communications module with a Twitter™ application program interface (API) on a communications platform with a software/hardware framework to interconnect with one or more pluggable monitors with sensors. In other embodiments, the communications module may be integrated with one or more monitors. Further embodiments comprise a smart-device, which can provide status updates and event notifications to a user.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to sensor technologies. Moreparticularly, the present disclosure relates to sensors coupled withlogic to transmit sensor related events through one or more messagingsystems to users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a system comprising smart sensorscoupled with the Internet to communicate with a user;

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a smart sensor comprising a monitorcoupled with a communication module;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a smart sensor to communicate eventsto a user via a messaging system;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment to communicate eventsto a user via a messaging system; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment to communicate acommand from a user via a messaging system to the smart sensor toexecute an action.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following is a detailed description of novel embodiments depicted inthe accompanying drawings. However, the amount of detail offered is notintended to limit anticipated variations of the described embodiments;on the contrary, the claims and detailed description are to cover allmodifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spiritand scope of the present teachings as defined by the appended claims.The detailed descriptions below are designed to make such embodimentsunderstandable to a person having ordinary skill in the art.

Generally, smart sensors, logic to process messages from smart sensors,and smart sensor systems are described herein. Logic, modules, devices,and interfaces herein described may perform functions that may beimplemented in hardware and/or code. Hardware and/or code may comprisesoftware, firmware, microcode, processors, state machines, chipsets, orcombinations thereof designed to accomplish the functionality.Embodiments may comprise logic such as hardware and/or code tocommunicate events as messages via a messaging system to post themessages to one or more messaging accounts. The messaging system may bea texting service like twitter that captures the messages and thenre-broadcasts the messages, e.g., immediately as a tweet or a cellulartext message. In some embodiments, the smart sensor comprises acommunications module with a Twitter™ application program interface(API) on a communications platform with a software/hardware framework tointerconnect with one or more pluggable monitors with sensors and/orwireless monitors with sensors. In other embodiments, the communicationsmodule may be integrated with one or more monitors.

Some embodiments comprise a smart-device to receive events from thesensors and to communicate the events to the user. Many of theseembodiments comprise event logic such as hardware and/or code to allowany device to become a smart-device that can provide status updates andevent notifications to a user based upon events identified by a smartsensor and/or custom events identified by event logic comprising acombination of related events identified by a smart sensor such asevents occurring within a time period. Such embodiments may comprise,for example, logic to monitor one or more messaging systems for messagesidentifying the event. In some embodiments, the event logic may trackthe status or changes in status of one or more smart sensors. Suchtracking provides the user with the ability to follow updates ofinformation important to them (e.g. whether or not the pets need food,plants need water, light bulbs need to be replaced, appliances such asrefrigerators need maintenance, security perimeters have a breach,etc.).

In other embodiments, standard messaging system software on asmart-device may be sufficient to monitor events communicated from smartsensors. For instance, a smart sensor may monitor the moisture contentof potting soil for a plant. The smart sensor may be configured toidentify as periodic events, periodic updates of the moisture contentand to identify as an event, the moisture falling below a specifiedthreshold moisture level. In one embodiment, monitor logic of the smartsensor may periodically capture the moisture level of the soil, generatea text message including the moisture level, log into a Twitter™ accountvia a local network's connection to the Internet, and transmit themessage as a tweet to the Twitter™ account. The user may have a devicesuch as a mobile or handheld device that monitors the Twitter™ accountand may receive the message with the moisture level, which includes thename assigned to the smart sensor as well as the moisture level reading.If the moisture level of the soil falls below the specified threshold,the monitor logic may generate a message indicating the change andtransmit the message to the Twitter™ account, informing the user thatthe moisture level fell below the threshold moisture level for the soil.

In other embodiments, the smart sensor may be configured to identify anevent when the rate of moisture loss in the potting soil increasesbeyond a specified threshold. For example, if the ambient temperatureand humidity for the plant changes significantly, the sensor may informthe user that the watering rate should be modified. In furtherembodiments, a smart sensor coupled with the watering system for theplant may monitor the messaging system for a message from the smartsensor for the plant and modify the watering rate in response to themessage from the smart sensor for the plant. The smart sensor for thewatering system may then generate a message for the user to indicatethat the watering rate has been modified and, in some embodiments, thesmart sensor for the watering system may include in the message,information such as the watering rate and/or the change in the wateringrate.

Embodiments may facilitate wireless communications. Wireless embodimentsmay integrate low power wireless communications like Bluetooth®,wireless local area networks (WLANs), wireless metropolitan areanetworks (WMANs), wireless personal area networks (WPAN), cellularnetworks, and/or Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)standard 802.15.4, “Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) and PhysicalLayer (PHY) Specifications for Low Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks(LR-WPANs)” (2006)(http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/download/802.15.4-2006.pdf),communications in the smart sensors, networks, messaging systems, andsmart-devices to facilitate interaction between such devices.

Furthermore, some wireless embodiments may incorporate a single antennawhile other embodiments may employ multiple antennas. For instance,multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) is the use of multipleantennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communicationperformance. MIMO technology offers significant increases in datathroughput and link range without additional bandwidth or transmitpower. It achieves this by higher spectral efficiency (more bits persecond per hertz of bandwidth) and link reliability or diversity(reduced fading).

While some of the specific embodiments described below will referencethe embodiments with specific configurations, those of skill in the artwill realize that embodiments of the present disclosure mayadvantageously be implemented with other configurations with similarissues or problems.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a system 100comprising one or more smart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118, coupledwith a cellular network 150, the Internet 155, and another network 160,to communicate with a user 195 via smart devices 165. System 100 mayread sensor signals from the one or more sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118to determine sensor data, process the sensor data to detect sensorevents, process the sensor events to select one or more messagesassociated with the sensor events, and interact with one or moremessaging systems 140 via a messaging account to post the one or moremessages to the messaging account. For example, smart sensor 102 mayread an analog sensor signal and convert the sensor signal from theanalog signal to a digital value. In some embodiments, smart sensor 102may comprise memory to store the digital value or data representative ofthe digital value. In other embodiments, smart sensor 102 may comprise asensor that produces a digital output.

By comparing the digital value of the sensor signal to a list of values,smart sensor 102 may determine that the value reaches or surpasses athreshold value for the sensor signal, indicating that the sensor signalrepresents a signal event. In some embodiments, smart sensor 102 maydetect a sensor event based upon the analog sensor signal rather than adigital value representative of the analog signal. In furtherembodiments, smart sensor 102 may detect a sensor event based upon achange in the sensor signal. Smart sensor 102 may detect the change by asensor sensitive to change and the threshold value may be inherent tothe sensor's ability to detect a change in the sensor signal hasoccurred.

Smart sensors such as smart sensor 102 may comprise a processor, achipset, a transmitter/receiver, and the memory. The processor mayreceive and execute code from the memory via the chipset to performfunctions attributed herein to the smart sensor. The processor maycomprise, for instance, one or more Intel® Atom™ processors and thechipset may comprise, for instance, an Intel® 945GC Express Chipset or aMobile Intel® 945GSE Express Chipset. In other embodiments, smartsensors may comprise microcontrollers or state machines to accomplishfunctionality of the smart sensors.

Smart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118 may periodically read the sensorsignal, may continuously read the sensor signal, may read the sensorsignal in response to a command received from another smart sensor ordevice or a command received from a user, or may read the sensor signalin response to another input such as a change in state of the sensorsignal or another signal. For instance, smart sensor 102 may comprisemore than one sensors and activity or a change in state of a firstsensor may initiate reading of a second sensor to detect a sensor event.

Upon detecting a sensor event, smart sensor 102 may process the sensorevent to select a message associated with the sensor event. Processingthe sensor event may select a message from a list or table of messagesassociated with sensor events. In some embodiments, there is only onemessage and processing the sensor event to select the message involvesselecting the message in response to detecting the sensor event. In someembodiments, smart sensor 102 may modify or add to the message toinclude a representation of the sensor signal. For instance, smartsensor 102 may select a message associated with a range of digitalvalues for a sensor signal and may include the digital value, or arepresentation thereof in text of the message. In several embodiments,smart sensor 102 may add the digital value for the sensor signal asmetadata to the message. In further embodiments, the messages may beselected based upon the messaging system through which the message is tobe transmitted to the user 195.

Smart sensor 102 may select a text message associated with the sensorsignal from memory of smart sensor 102. The message may be a textmessage in some embodiments and another media message in otherembodiments. Several embodiments include multimedia messages. Forexample, smart sensor 102 may detect that a light bulb is out via aphotosensitive sensor, a current-sensitive sensor, and/or avoltage-sensitive sensor. Smart sensor 102 may detect a change in acurrent generated by a photosensitive sensor and select a text message:“The light bulb in the utility room should be replaced.” Acommunications module of smart sensor 102 may then interact with anetwork 130 to transmit the text message to messaging system(s) 140.

In system 100, smart sensor 102 couples with smart sensor 106 viacommunications channel 103 and smart sensor 110 via communicationschannels 103 and 107. In this embodiment, smart sensor 102 is a mastersmart sensor and smart sensors 106 and 110 are slave smart sensors. Themaster smart sensor 102 may comprise a monitor interface to receivecommunications from slave smart sensors 106 and 110 to coordinatecommunications transmitted via network 130. In some embodiments, smartsensors 106 and 107 may read their respective sensor signals from inresponse to a command from smart sensor 102 via monitor interfaces onsmart sensors 106 and 110. In other embodiments, smart sensors 106 and110 may detect signal events independently and transmit indications ofsensor events to smart sensor 102. Smart sensor 102 may compriseaggregation logic to combine sensor events from smart sensors 102, 106,and 110 to select a message. In still other embodiments, smart sensors106 and 110 may detect sensor events, select messages based upon thesensor events, and transmit the messages to smart sensor 102 viacommunications channels 103 and 107. In such embodiments, smart sensor102 may respond by transmitting the messages to messaging systems 140 ormay coordinate transmission of the messages with transmission of amessage from more than one smart sensors or from all the smart sensors102, 106, and 110. In the latter embodiments, aggregation logic maycombine messages from the smart sensors 102, 106, and 110 into a singletransmission.

Communications channels 103 and 107 may be cables to transmit electricalsignals and/or optical signals, or may comprise wireless communicationsmediums. Remote communication between smart sensors 102, 106, and 110 orbetween smart sensor 102 or 118 and network 130 may be accomplished viawireless communication formats. Wireless embodiments may integrate lowpower wireless communications like Bluetooth® and/or Institute ofElectrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.15.4communications in the smart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118. Thestandard, IEEE 802.15.4™, provides for low-data-rate connectivity amongrelatively simple devices that consume minimal power and typicallyconnect at distances of 10 meters (30 feet) or less. IEEE 802.15.4™,addresses fixed, portable and moving devices that operate at data ratesof 10 to 250 kbps. The standard allows devices to form short-range adhoc networks within which they can interact directly.

Network 130 may be responsive to one or more smart sensors 102, 106,110, and 118 to communicate with the smart sensors and one or moremessaging systems 140. Network 130 may comprise a local area network(LAN), wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area network (MAN),cellular network, intranet, Internet, another such network or acombination of more than one of these networks to establishcommunications between the smart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118 andmessaging system(s) 140. Communications between the network 130 andmessaging system(s) 140 may be physical or wireless or a combinationthereof.

Messaging system(s) 140 may comprise multiple messaging accounts and thesmart sensors such as smart sensor 102 may interact with messagingsystem(s) 140 to access one or messaging accounts for one or more of themessaging system(s) 140 and to post one or more messages to the one ormore messaging accounts of the one or more messaging system(s) 140. Forinstance, smart sensor 102 may comprise a security sensor to detect abreach of a security perimeter. Smart sensor 102 may receive a sensorsignal indicating, for instance, that a door is not fully closed andmonitor logic of smart sensor 102 may determine that a sensor event hasoccurred because the alarm is set. In response, smart sensor 102 mayassociate this sensor event with a text message stating: “The garagedoor has been breached while the alarm was set.” Smart sensor 102 mayinteract with a local area network to access the Internet, network 130,and access a Twitter™ web site, messaging system(s) 140, via theInternet to post the text message to a Twitter™ account, which is amessaging account. Smart sensor 102 may either transmit authenticationto access the Twitter™ account along with the message to post themessage to the account or may interact with the Twitter™ web site toauthenticate smart sensor 102 as an authorized user of the Twitter™account via a Twitter™ application program interface (API) of smartsensor 102. Posting the message to the Twitter™ account may allow theuser 195 to receive the message on one or more smart devices 165 via acellular network, the Internet 155, and/or another network 160. Infurther embodiments, smart sensor 102 may post the message for thesecurity breach to more than one Twitter™ accounts to notify user 195and possibly one or more other user such as each member in a family sothey are aware of the security breach. In still further embodiments, inaddition to posting to multiple Twitter™ accounts, smart sensor 102 maypost to multiple cellular phone texting services and/or other messagingsystem(s) 140.

In some embodiments, smart sensor 102 may comprise metadata logic toattach metadata to the text message or transmit the metadata along withthe text message. For instance, smart sensor 102 may also comprise adigital image-capturing device that may periodically capture an image ofthe garage door or may capture an image of the garage door in responseto detection of a signal event such as detection of contacts for thegarage door being separated while the alarm system is armed or set. Insuch embodiments, smart sensor 102 may attach the captured digital imageof the garage door as metadata to the text message “The garage door hasbeen breached while the alarm was armed” and send the message to theuser via one or more messaging system(s) 140. If the primary system doesnot facilitate the metadata, a communication module of smart sensor 102may send the text message via the primary messaging system and the textmessage with the digital image of the garage door via another messagingsystem such as an email account or as a multimedia message via acellular network. The multimedia messaging system of the cellularnetwork may then transmit the multimedia message through cellularnetwork 150 to a handheld device 170 of the user 195.

Smart devices 165 may comprise a Nettop, a Netbook, a cellular phone, apersonal data assistant (PDA), a laptop, a mobile Internet device (MID),or the like or a non-mobile or less than mobile device such as a desktopcomputer, a game console, a digital video recorder/cable box, a server,and the like. FIG. 1 illustrates smart devices 165 with three types ofdevices comprising handheld device 170, computer 180, and other device190. Handheld device 170 may comprise a mobile phone, a PDA, or the likewith event logic 172. Event logic 172 may receive one or more messagesfrom a smart sensor such as smart sensor 118 via messaging system(s)140. For instance, user 195 may receive a text message or a multimediamessage via cellular network 150 from smart sensor 118 indicating that awater-sensitive plant in the green house needs to be watered. Smartsensor 118 may comprise a moisture level sensor that monitors themoisture level of a water-sensitive plant in the green house and maytransmit a text message to user 195 via network 130, an Internetinterface to cellular network 150, and cellular network 150 when themoisture falls below a threshold value that is either set by user 195 oris a default setting of smart sensor 118.

In response to the message from smart sensor 118, user 195 may respondwith a text message, “Water the water-sensitive plant in the greenhouse”. A command receiver logic of smart sensor 118 may monitor for atext message from user 195 and may receive the text message, “Water thewater-sensitive plant in the green house”. Monitor logic of smart sensor118 may receive the text message and interpret the text message as acommand to water the plant. In response, smart sensor 118 may instructan action execution module of smart sensor 118 to water the plant andthe action execution module may send a command to a watering system toinitiate a predetermined watering session for the water-sensitive plant.

Event logic 172, 182, and 192 may comprise standard logic integratedinto these devices to access messaging system(s) 140 in someembodiments. In other embodiments, event logic 172, 182, and 192 maycomprise hardware and/or code to facilitate transmission of messagesfrom smart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118 through messaging system(s)140 to user 195. Many of these embodiments comprise event logic to allowany device to become a smart-device 165 that can provide status updatesand event notifications to user 195 based upon events identified bysmart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118, and/or custom events identified byevent logic 172, 182, and 192 comprising a combination of related eventsidentified by one or more smart sensors 102, 106, 110, and 118 such asevents occurring within a time period. Such embodiments may comprise,for example, logic to monitor one or more messaging systems for messagesidentifying the event. In some embodiments, event logic 172, 182, and192 may track the status or changes in status of one or more smartsensors 102, 106, 110, and 118. Such tracking provides the user 195 withthe ability to follow updates of information important to them (e.g.whether or not the pets need food, plants need water, light bulbs needto be replaced, appliances such as refrigerators need maintenance,security perimeters have a breach, etc.)

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a smart sensor 200 comprising a monitorplatform 210 coupled with a communication platform 250. Monitor platform210 comprises a platform with one or more sensors and logic to read theone or more sensors, detect a sensor event, and select a message basedupon the sensor event. In some embodiments, monitor platform 210 mayalso comprise messaging system logic 254 such as an API to establishcommunications with one or more messaging accounts and transmit themessage to the one or more messaging accounts via communicationsplatform 250. In the present embodiment, monitor platform 210 transmitsthe one or more messages to the communications module 251 viacommunications platform interface 240 and communications module 251comprises messaging system logic 254 to receive the one or more messagesand interact with one or more messaging systems to post the message toone or more messaging accounts.

Monitor platform 210 comprises sensors 212, sensor interface 214,monitor logic 220, memory 230, aggregation logic 239, and communicationplatform interface 240. Sensors 212 and sensor interface 214 producesensor signals based upon an event that the user decides to monitor. Forinstance, a user may decide to monitor whether or not the pets needfood, plants need water, light bulbs need to be replaced, appliancessuch as refrigerators need maintenance, security perimeters have abreach, etc. Sensors 212 may comprise sensors on the monitor platform210 and sensor interface 214 may couple with sensors located somedistance away from monitor platform 210. For example, a sensor for arefrigerator may be located on monitor platform 210 and monitor platform210 may be coupled with the refrigerator. On the other hand, a sensor todetermine whether a plant should be watered may be in the soil for theplant and the monitor platform 210 may be attached to the planter or toa wall near the plant.

In some embodiments, sensor interface 214 may couple with remote sensorswirelessly. In other embodiments, sensor interface 214 may couple withremote sensors via a physical connection such as a tube, a wire, or anoptic filament. In further embodiments, sensor interface 214 may becapable of coupling with remote sensors physically or wirelessly.

Monitor logic 220 may read the sensor signal, detect a sensor eventbased upon the sensor signal, select a message based upon the sensorevent, and communicate the message to communications platform 250.Monitor logic 220 may determine which sensor readings are sensor events,the timing of sensor readings, the name of the sensor to uniquely orclearly identify the sensor to the user in a message generated for thesensor events from the sensor, calculations to perform to detect asensor event, or the like from monitor configuration 232 of memory 260.In many embodiments, such settings may be default and some settings maynot be configurable.

In some embodiments, monitor logic 220 may determine whether a sensorsignal represents a sensor event based upon a calculation. Thecalculation may comprise the sensor signal, and part or all of thehistorical data for the sensor and/or other sensors. In severalembodiments, the calculation may comprise aggregated data 235, whichincludes data from other monitor platforms or includes data based uponsensor signals read by other monitor platforms. For example, monitorplatform 210 may be attached to the motherboard of an alarm system tomonitor whether or not the alarm is armed. A second monitor may comprisea glass breakage sensor for the alarm system. If the alarm is armed, andthe glass breakage sensor changes state, the second monitor platform maytransmit an indication of the sensor event to monitor platform 210 viaaggregation logic 239 and aggregation logic 239 may store the indicationof the sensor event in aggregation memory. In some embodiments, theindication of the sensor event may also include metadata such as animage capture from the room of the glass breakage detector, which mayalso be stored in aggregation data 235. Monitor logic 220 may determinethat the combination of the glass breakage sensor event and the alarmbeing armed is a sensor event.

In other embodiments, monitor logic 220 may calculate a threshold valueat which a sensor event occurs. For example, monitor logic 220 may,based upon default calculations indicated in monitor configuration 232or user-defined calculations indicated in user configuration 234,calculate, e.g., a rate of change of a water level in a pet's bowl todetermine at what water level (the threshold value) the user should bealerted to refill a water dispenser connected to the pet's bowl. Thecalculation may involve heuristic sensor data of historical 236 relatedto rate at which the water level changes, the maximum rate at which thewater level changes (e.g., when the pet is drinking the water), as wellas the minimum rate at which the water level changes over time such asthe evaporation rate of water, which is based upon the temperature andhumidity level of the environment about the pet's water bowl.Furthermore, reaching a minimum threshold for the water level may causemonitor logic 220 to generate a message and transmit the message to theuser regardless of the calculations.

Monitor logic 220 may comprise message logic 222 and metadata logic 224.Message logic 222 may select a message from one or more messages inmessaging configuration 238 of memory 230 based upon the sensor event.For instance, message logic 222 may compare a digital valuerepresentative of the sensor signal against messages in messagingconfiguration 238 to determine which message to associate with thesensor event.

In some embodiments, messaging logic 222 may also determine whichmessage to associate with the sensor event based upon the particularsensor from which the sensor signal is derived, a calculation related tothe sensor event, the occurrence of another sensor event, or the like.For example, if sensors 212 comprise a first sensor and a second sensor,messaging configuration 238 may comprise a list or table of messagesspecifically for the first sensor and a list or table of messages forthe second sensor. In further embodiments, messaging configuration 238may comprise different messages for remote sensors and local sensorsand/or different messages for different messaging systems. In severalembodiments, the list of messages as well as whether the messages differbetween different sensors 212 and/or between local and remote sensorsmay be configurable by a user and stored in user configuration 234. Insuch embodiments, monitor logic 220 may access user configuration 234and messaging configuration 238 to select a message based upon a sensorevent.

Metadata logic 224 may comprise hardware and/or code to determinemetadata to attach to a message selected by messaging logic 222.Metadata logic 224 may attach historical data from historical 236,aggregated data 235, a digital value for the sensor signal, data fromother sensors or monitor platforms, or the like. In some embodiments,metadata logic 224 attaches multimedia files to messages. Such files mayinclude audio recordings, video recordings, image files, or the likeeither from files provided by a user in memory 230 or collected fromother sensors or monitor platforms.

Memory 230 may comprise one or more types of memory including volatilememory and non-volatile memory such as random access memory, read onlymemory, flash memory, hard drive storage, or other data storage media.

Note that logic and interfaces of monitor platform 210 are illustratedseparately due to their distinct functionality but these may beperformed by code executing on the same or different processors orprocessor cores, code executing in different threads of the sameprocessor or processor core, signals processed via different logicalpaths of the same state machine or via different state machines, or thelike. This is also true about communications platform 250 as well aslogic, modules, and interfaces of other FIGs.

Communications platform 250 comprises a universal platform for multipletypes of monitor platforms such as monitor platform 210. Communicationsplatform 250 comprises a monitor interface 280 to couple physically orwirelessly with one or more monitor platforms such as monitor platform210. In some embodiments, monitor interface 280 may be capable ofcoupling with multiple monitors physically, wirelessly, or bothsubstantially simultaneously.

Communications platform 250 may couple with communication platforminterface 240 to communicate a message associated with a sensor eventdetected by monitor platform 210 to a communication module 251.Communications platform 250 may comprise communications module 251,memory 260, monitor interface 280, and user interface 290. Communicationmodule 251 may couple with exterior networks to interact with amessaging system to post a message related to a sensor event in amessaging account.

Communication module 251 may comprise local network interface 252,messaging system logic 254, other platform interface 256, and otherplatform logic 258. Local network interface 252 may comprise a physicaland/or wireless interface to couple with a local network such as acorporate intranet or a LAN. Local network interface 252 may transmitauthentication data from local network configuration 262 of memory 260to the local network to establish a communications channel with theInternet via the local network and to facilitate communications frommessaging system logic 254 to access a messaging system such asTwitter™.

Messaging system logic 254 may utilize messaging system configuration264 of memory 260 to log into a messaging account such as a Twitter™account to post a message related to a sensor event. In someembodiments, messaging system logic 254 may comprise a Twitter™ API. Inother embodiments, messaging system logic 254 may be configured toaccess a Twitter™ account via a Twitter™ API stored in messaging systemconfiguration 264. In further embodiments, messaging system logic 254may access a texting service for a cellular phone network via localnetwork interface 252 to transmit the message.

Other platform interface 256 may comprise an interface for anothernetwork such as a phone network, an alternative data network, a cellularnetwork, or the like to facilitate transmission of the message via thesame messaging system as messaging system logic 254 or an alternativemessaging system. For instance, the messaging system may beInternet-based so local network interface 252 may access the Internetvia a cable-based Internet service and other platform interface 256 mayaccess the Internet through a telephone line-based Internet service andother platform configuration 266 of memory 260 may provide the alternatesecurity information and protocols to access the Internet through thetelephone line-based Internet service.

Other platform logic 258 may offer an alternative messaging systemaccess to that of messaging system logic 254. For instance, themessaging system accessed by other platform logic 258 may facilitateposting a message via two different services, posting a message via analternate service if a primary service is unavailable, posting via analternate service depending upon a priority level associated with amessage, posting via an alternate service to balance a load through themessaging systems, another user-defined reason for using the alternatemessaging system, or a combination of reasons.

Monitor interface 280 may couple with at least one monitor platform toreceive a message from the monitor platform associated with a sensorevent detected by the corresponding monitor logic such as monitor logic220. In some embodiments, when multiple monitor platforms couple withmonitor interface 280, monitor interface 280 may direct messages fromany of the platforms to communication module 251 to post to a messagingaccount. In several embodiments, monitor configuration 268 of memory 260may include data to determine whether the message should be posted orforwarded to aggregation logic 239 of monitor platform 210.

User interface 290 may be a physical or wireless interface tointerconnect with a user to provide user configurations for thecommunications platform 250 and, in some embodiments, for the monitorplatform 210. In other embodiments, the user interface for the monitorconfigurations may be part of the monitor platform. For instance, userinterface 290 may comprise a universal serial bus (USB) connector, afirewire bus connector, an optical bus connector, or another type of busconnector. User interface 290 may interact with a user to determineuser-definable settings and to store the user-definable settings in userconfiguration 270 of memory 260.

In some embodiments, user interface configuration 270 may include codeto request and set user configurations for the user. In otherembodiments, user interface 290 may be capable of executing code such asan extensible markup language (XML) code to request and set userconfigurations. In some embodiments, XML code for user configuration ofa monitor platform such as monitor platform 210 may reside in memory ofmonitor platform 210 and be accessible to user interface 290 for settingthe user-definable settings.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a smart sensor 300 to communicateevents to one or more users via one or more messaging systems. Smartsensor 300 may be integrated on a single platform and may also beintegrated with another device such as an appliance. Smart sensor 300comprises at least one sensor 310, memory 320, monitor logic 330, userinterface 350, and a communication module 360. Sensor 310 may produce asensor signal.

Memory 320 may couple with monitor logic 330 to store sensor data andone or more messages associated with sensor events. Monitor logic 330may couple with the at least one sensor 310 to read a sensor signal todetermine sensor data, to process the sensor data to detect a sensorevent, and to process the sensor event to select a message associatedwith the sensor event.

Monitor logic 330 may comprise command interpretation logic 312 tomonitor a messaging account such as a cellular texting account and/or aTwitter™ account for a reply message that is responsive to a messageabout a sensor event. The reply message, for instance, may be a replygenerated by a user in response to the message about a sensor event.Command interpretation logic 312 may determine a command based upon thereply message and may communicate with an action execution module 314 toexecute at least one action based upon the command. For example, a petwith a special diet may need to receive certain distributions of food sothe monitor logic may sense when the pet is out of food and communicatewith communication module 360 to transmit a message to the user at thenext time the pet is supposed to be fed. The user may then reply to themessage with text that command receiver 362 receives and transmits tocommand interpretation logic 312. Command interpretation logic 312 mayinterpret the command and, in response, issue a command to actionexecution module 314 to execute at least one action to distribute thenext amount of food to the pet's bowl.

In some embodiments, command receiver logic 363 is logic designed tomonitor one or more messaging accounts for a reply and to pass the replyto the command interpretation logic 312 of monitor logic 330. In otherembodiments, command interpretation logic may be part of communicationmodule 360, which may then issue the command to action execution module314. In further embodiments, action execution module 314 may be remotefrom monitor logic 330 or part of the communication module 360.

User interface 350 may interact with a user to determine user-definablesettings and to store the user-definable settings in memory 320. In someembodiments, user interface 350 may comprise a display with logic suchas a processor and code to interact with the user to set user-definableconfigurations such as text messages associated with sensor events.

Communication module 360 may couple with monitor logic 330 to interactwith at least one messaging system based upon at least one messagingaccount to post at least one message in the at least one messagingaccount. Communication module may comprise command receiver logic 362 tomonitor a messaging account for postings from a user. In someembodiments, command receiver logic 362 may monitor posts to onlycertain messaging accounts and/or only after posting a message relatedto a sensor event. In other embodiments, command receiver logic 362 maycontinuously or periodically monitor one or more messaging accounts forpostings that may represent commands.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart 400 of an embodiment to communicateevents to at least one user via at least one messaging system and atleast one message account of each of the at least one messaging system.The embodiment involves actions of a smart sensor such as the smartsensors described in FIGS. 1-3. Flow chart 400 begins with reading asensor signal to determine sensor data and storing the sensor data(element 410). The monitor logic of the smart sensor may read the sensorsignal in accordance with a user-defined schedule or a default scheduleand may store the data in memory to manipulate the data or process thedata to determine if the data represents a sensor event (element 420).For example, the sensor data may be compared with threshold values orincluded in a calculation to determine a value to compare with thresholdvalues or compared with a prior values or a history of prior values fromthe sensor, or the like. In some embodiments, processing the sensor datato detect a sensor event may comprise comparing the sensor data to athreshold value, calculating a calculated result based upon the sensordata and historical sensor data and comparing the result to thethreshold value, or comparing the sensor data with historical sensordata to determine a comparative result and comparing the comparativeresult to the threshold value.

The monitor logic may also store the sensor data in memory of the smartsensor to generate a record of historical sensor data. In someembodiments, the smart sensor may compress the historical sensor data.For example, the smart sensor may save memory space by removingrepetitive, consecutive sensor data entries in the historical sensordata and/or replacing common patterns of data with indicators of thepatterns of data.

Upon detecting a sensor event, the monitor logic processes the sensorevent to select a message associated with the sensor event (element430). For instance, processing the sensor event to select a message maycomprise identifying the message associated with the sensor event.

After determining the message, the smart sensor interacts with amessaging system based upon a messaging account to post the message inthe messaging account (element 440). For instance, the smart sensor maylog into a messaging account or provide the messaging system with apacket identifying the smart sensor as being authorized to access themessaging account and transmitting the message associated with thesensor event. When logging into multiple accounts, the smart sensor maylog into the accounts substantially simultaneously or serially. In someembodiments, interacting further comprises transmitting metadata withthe message.

In many embodiments, interacting with a messaging system based upon themessaging account to post the message in the messaging account maycomprise establishing communication with a Twitter™ web site, logginginto a Twitter™ account, and transmitting the message associated withthe sensor event to post the message via the Twitter™ account. Infurther embodiments, interacting with a messaging system based upon themessaging account to post the message in the messaging account comprisesidentifying the smart sensor as authorized to access a cellular networkand transmitting the message associated with the sensor event as a textmessage.

Once the message is sent in response to the sensor event, the smartsensor may determine whether to continue reading the sensor and returnto element 410 or not (element 450). This can be a user-defined settingor a default setting.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart 500 of an embodiment to communicate acommand from a user via a messaging system to the smart sensor toexecute an action. Flow chart 500 begins with a smart sensor monitoringa messaging system for a post (element 510). For example, the messagingaccount may be dedicated for communications related to one or more smartsensors and if a post originates from somewhere other than the smartsensors, the smart sensors may determine that the posting may be acommand from a user.

Upon receiving a message (element 520), the smart sensor may determinean action responsive to the message (element 530). For instance, thesmart sensor may authenticate that the user posted the message via anidentification on the posting, via metadata attached to the posting, orthe like. Once the posting is authenticated, the smart sensor mayinterpret the message to determine if the message represents a validcommand. In some embodiments, messages may also identify the particularsmart sensor that should execute the action associated with the commandin the message. If the message represents a valid command, the smartsensor may transmit to command to an action execution module forexecuting the action in response to the message (element 540).

In some embodiments, the smart sensor will continue to monitor themessaging account for further postings (element 550). In otherembodiments, the smart sensor may not continue monitoring for anotherposting once a command is executed by that sensor. In furtherembodiments, smart sensors may monitor the messaging account forpostings at pre-programmed times or time intervals.

Another embodiment is implemented as a program product for implementingsystems and methods described with reference to FIGS. 1-5. Embodimentscan take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirelysoftware embodiment, or an embodiment containing both hardware andsoftware elements. One embodiment is implemented in software, whichincludes but is not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode,etc.

Furthermore, embodiments can take the form of a computer program productaccessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providingprogram code for use by or in connection with a computer or anyinstruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, acomputer-usable or computer readable medium can be any apparatus thatcan contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program foruse by or in connection with the instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

The medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or apropagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include asemiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computerdiskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), arigid magnetic disk, and an optical disk. Current examples of opticaldisks include compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), compactdisk-read/write (CD-R/W), and DVD.

A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing programcode will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectlyto memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can includelocal memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulkstorage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at leastsome program code in order to reduce the number of times code must beretrieved from bulk storage during execution.

Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards,displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system eitherdirectly or through intervening I/O controllers. Network adapters mayalso be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system tobecome coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers orstorage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems,cable modem, and Ethernet adapter cards are just a few of the currentlyavailable types of network adapters.

The logic as described above may be part of the design for an integratedcircuit chip. The chip design is created in a graphical computerprogramming language, and stored in a computer storage medium (such as adisk, tape, physical hard drive, or virtual hard drive such as in astorage access network). If the designer does not fabricate chips or thephotolithographic masks used to fabricate chips, the designer transmitsthe resulting design by physical means (e.g., by providing a copy of thestorage medium storing the design) or electronically (e.g., through theInternet) to such entities, directly or indirectly. The stored design isthen converted into the appropriate format (e.g., GDSII) for thefabrication of photolithographic masks, which typically include multiplecopies of the chip design in question that are to be formed on a wafer.The photolithographic masks are utilized to define areas of the wafer(and/or the layers thereon) to be etched or otherwise processed.

The resulting integrated circuit chips can be distributed by thefabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that hasmultiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In thelatter case, the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as aplastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or otherhigher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramiccarrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buriedinterconnections). In any case, the chip is then integrated with otherchips, discrete circuit elements, and/or other signal processing devicesas part of either (a) an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or(b) an end product. The end product can be any product that includesintegrated circuit chips, ranging from toys and other low-endapplications to advanced computer products having a display, a keyboardor other input device, and a central processor.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit ofthis disclosure that the present disclosure contemplates smart sensors.It is understood that the form of the embodiments shown and described inthe detailed description and the drawings are to be taken merely asexamples. It is intended that the following claims be interpretedbroadly to embrace all variations of the example embodiments disclosed.

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail for someembodiments, it should be understood that various changes,substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appendedclaims. Although specific embodiments may achieve multiple objectives,not every embodiment falling within the scope of the attached claimswill achieve every objective. Moreover, the scope of the presentapplication is not intended to be limited to the particular embodimentsof the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means,methods, and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinaryskill in the art will readily appreciate from this disclosure,processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means,methods, or steps presently existing or later to be developed thatperform substantially the same function or achieve substantially thesame result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may beutilized. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to includewithin their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositionsof matter, means, methods, or steps.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a device to be containedin a security system for a building; wherein the device is configured toreceive a signal from a sensor indicating an alarm condition andtransmit a message to a remote device; wherein the message is an emailor a message suitable for presentation on a cellular telephone device.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a textmessage.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message comprises adigitized image.
 4. A method for communicating messages in a securitysystem, the method comprising: detecting a signal from a sensor in asecurity system for a building; determining the signal represents analarm condition; transmitting a message to a remote device to inform auser of the remote device of the alarm condition; wherein saidtransmitting is to be performed as either an email or as a message to acellular telephone device.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the messagecomprises a text message.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the messagecomprises a digitized image.
 7. A computer-readable non-transitorystorage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one ormore processors result in performing operations comprising: detecting asignal from a sensor in a security system for a building; determiningthe signal represents an alarm condition; transmitting a messageintended for a remote device, to inform a user of the remote device ofthe alarm condition; wherein said transmitting is to be performed aseither an email or as a message delivered through a cellular telephoneservice.
 8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a textmessage.
 9. The medium of claim 7, wherein the message comprises adigitized image.